Europe's largest economies face a familiar paradox: near-term resilience masks deeper structural headwinds. Italy's case is instructive—solid economic fundamentals today don't guarantee tomorrow's growth. The real challenge? An aging workforce combined with sluggish productivity gains. Without meaningful intervention, the math doesn't work. What moves the needle? Raising labor force participation and driving innovation adoption. These aren't novel ideas, but execution remains the stumbling block. Countries that actually commit to workplace flexibility and R&D investment tend to surprise on the upside. Italy's potential is there; the question is whether policymakers have the appetite to unlock it.